The Olympics are on and over 200 countries are in showcase mode. As the host nation, Great Britain has pulled out all the stops to creatively package its people, athletes, major city and culture. It’s a global Cirque de Solei feast for the senses. Of course the United States is there in full force, as the world expects, reminding all who is the super power in media, entertainment, business and—oh yeah, sports.

"Peru is a source of pride, a great country. We must begin to show it. Along with Promperu [Peru’s export and tourism promotion board] we will hold a cocktail party for 100 countries in London to promote the Peru Brand," COP President Jose Quiñones said on Thursday.

And what better year to promote the advantages of British-made products than 2012, which is exactly what the people at kitchen appliance company Stoves thought when they decided to launch their Made in Britain campaign.

Nonetheless, Austad believes Norwegian design going in a positive direction. He suggests that it has a growing number of young and ambitious designers all eager to identify how Norwegian design should be in the 21st century. He also adds Norwegian design has a strong cultural foundation and hopes that Norway will be able to continue to brand itself as a design nation in the future.